Latin dance contest heats up Einstein High

Seven area high schools and more than 150 dancers entertained a sold out crowd

Karen Carbajal, 17, a senior at Albert Einstein High School, dances with Christopher Ochoa, 16, of Watkins Mill High School during the ninth annual Latin Dance Competition, held at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington Friday. The event sold out the 900-seat auditorium as people came to watch Latin dance groups from seven area high schools.

Dueling high school chants erupted spontaneously at Albert Einstein Friday night, but it was not a pep rally. Teams slapped each other's backs on the sidelines, but there were no helmets. Short skirts abounded, but there were no cheerleaders.

This was salsa, not football, but it was just as rowdy.

The ninth annual Latin Dance Competition was held Friday night at Albert Einstein High School, bringing together seven area high schools and more than 150 dancers to heat up the stage with bachata, merengue, salsa and tango in a frenzied competition that sold out the 900-seat auditorium.

Teams from Albert Einstein, Gaithersburg, Clarksburg, Watkins Mill, Blair, Seneca Valley and Dominion high schools turned out to compete, and did not hesitate to make themselves known.

"It's always like this, everybody's yelling," explained judge Carlos Ulloa over the din of overlapping spirit chants. Ulloa used to compete in the event during his time at Blake High School, and said not much has changed from the judge's seat.

"By the end of the night their throats are hurting."

Ana Coello, a senior that danced in Albert Einstein High School's first place showing in couple's bachata, said the fervor is one built of love and passion, which also is the key to the dances.

"It's the love you profess for your partner, the emotion between you," Coello said after dancing with her best friend Cristian Panameno.

"I love dancing, and I love the feeling when you're in a group and everyone's supporting you," Coello said. "I guess it shows the good side of the Hispanic community."

The competition brought much of the community together and parents and alumni of the participating high schools also competed for points through the evening.

Sweating and grinning after their first-place performance, Kerwin and Nidia Mendez, parents of Watkins Mill High School dancers, said their involvement in the competition was the kids' idea.

"We just wanted to support the kids any way we can," Nidia Mendez said.

Nelson Panameno, the brother of Cristian, said the event is a great thing for the Hispanic community.

"I feel like I'm at home (because of) all of the cultures," Panameno said. "Even though we come from different countries, we all have the same flavor."

Panameno said the event seems to get more competitive every year. Dancers were judged on their choreography, execution, projection and showmanship, and Ulloa said often the students pull out all the stops.

"They try to do what the professionals can do," Ulloa said. "They do develop their own moves, and techniques and it's amazing to see what they can do as 14- to 17-year-olds."

Albert Einstein High School took first place in the bachata, salsa and best in show categories and second in the alumni category. Watkins Mill High School took first place in the meringue and parent's categories, and Seneca Valley High School ranked first in the alumni dance.

Abigail Garcia and Christian Lemus, who got third place in salsa for Gaithersburg High, which also took third in merengue, said their fancy moves were no big deal.

"It wasn't that hard, we just had to practice and practice a lot," Lemus said.

"It's all about having fun," Garcia added. "I don't think dance is a hobby, I think it's a way of life and if you treat it like a way of life it just comes naturally."